'Starman' Pilots Tesla's Space Roadster 766 Million Miles As It Completes First Orbit Of Sun

The hype was almost overwhelming, but fortunately for SpaceX and its brash boss Elon Musk, the 2018 launch of the first Falcon Heavy rocket system went perfectly, and a most unusual satellite was placed into a near-immortal orbit about the Sun: A brilliant red Tesla Roadster (the original model), piloted by a space-suited mannequin known as Starman.

So where is Starman and his electric space car now? Back home, relatively speaking.

Outlets which track the position of the planet-trekking Tesla report the car and its passenger have now come full circle and completed one orbit of the Sun. But don't look up into the night sky to try and spot it flying by; Starman is now on the opposite side of the Sun from where Earth is now in orbit, but he's on cruise control at over 24,000 miles an hour.

Starman and his red Tesla are in an elliptical orbit that swings the duo out past the orbit of Mars, before it cycles back to Earth's orbital distance and perihelion - its closest point to the Sun, which is where it is now. Since Starman's elliptical path around the Sun is not the same as Earth's (or Mars') orbit, it takes more than a year to drive the whole orbital racetrack.

So how far has Starman driven the red Roadster? Almost 800 million miles so far. You can get an exact running total here. And while Starman will have some close encounters with the Earth, Mars and perhaps some other objects in the near (and far) future, he's not coming back to Earth anytime soon - unless someone goes out there to get him.

The initial video feed from cameras aboard the Roadster was an internet sensation (and pretty zen as well), but the batteries for those cameras and have long died (ironic, considering how much battery power could have been on board), and the car is too far away for the signal to now reach us anyway.

Why Did Musk Do It?

What's the point of launching an electric convertible sports car with "Don't Panic" on the center screen, besides a bit of ego scratching and showmanship? There are actually some good - if simple - rocket science reasons. During rocket flight testing, flight engineers use a "dummy" cargo (usually some boring weights or a research sensor package) to test the rocket's capabilities, rather than risk blowing up a spendy commercial satellite or precious human cargo. It was the first launch of the Falcon Heavy, and the rocket needed some sort of payload to accurately test it under flight conditions. While the Falcon Heavy can lift a load much, much heavier than the Roadster, using the car was both a useful payload and a bit of whimsy (and brilliant marketing), which we've come to expect from Musk, who heads SpaceX, Tesla, SolarCity and other ventures.

What Will Happen To Starman And His Roadster?

Left alone, Starman could likely drive the Roadster around the Sun for the life of our solar system, which should keep spinning around for another five to seven billion years. However, if humanity can manage to survive its technological adolescence, we may someday rendezvous once again with Starman and his by then very vintage Tesla Roadster to see what the effects of billions or even trillions of miles of unprotected space travel close to the sun might be.

Since the Tesla wasn't "prepped" for the rigors of space travel like a purpose-built satellite or manned spacecraft, the weathering effects on the car should be significant. In astronomical terms, Starman and the Tesla are very, very close to the sun, as is Earth and Mars. Temperatures on the sunlit surfaces of the car can soar to well over 200 degrees Fahrenheit, while shaded areas can be a frosty 250 degrees below zero.

Since the car is slowly tumbling though space, every part of the car's exterior will be exposed to this endless and relentless heating/cooling cycle, which will expand and shrink metal surfaces to the point where fatigue may split them off of the car's frame. Paint, tires, fabrics and most anything else not metallic will likely be slowly boiled away over time, and cast upon the solar wind. Indeed, the most "spaceworthy" part of the whole venture may be Starman's SpaceX space suit, which was designed, of course, for use in space. How will it hold up? Only a very, very long time will tell.

Drive safe, Starman. Don't panic and enjoy the view.